Lemon Sunrise: Kurrawa To (not quite) Duranbah

I have this habit of coming up with events to do, or things I want to accomplish without thinking too much about them or training for them. I did this again on Sunday!

I had a huge weekend of hair appointments, family Christmas BBQs and the Taylor Swift concert on Saturday, and then had signed up to 15km running/walking event on Sunday morning on the Gold Coast.

Saturday was a lot of fun – love getting my hair done (cut and colour) and then off to see family for lunch, then home to get ready for the Taylor Swift concert. I ended up being out of the house from 8am to 3:30pm, then out again at 4:30pm and not home until 11:30pm. Not even time for a nap as I had planned!

And then, I had to get up at 3:30am to get down to Kurrawa for the walk! 4 hours sleep! Far out! I did not think this through at all!

But there I was – alarm went off and I was up and getting ready for Kate to pick me up at 4am!

Outside my house at 4am - sun was just starting to rise!

We got down to Kurrara at around 5:15am, got our race packs and Kate was off on her 30km! You can read all about her massive milestone here. An hour later I was off for my 15km walk. I started off fast to get my legs going but still had the horrible calf pain I always get for these events. I had a new tactic though!

At the start line!

First, I bought some compression tights for my calves at the event from a stall selling running stuff, and second, used a lot of self talk, as in, I talked to my own calves. Yes, I probably sounded crazy, but I was walking on my own so I don’t think too many people heard me!

Compression tights!

My muscles always seem to relax from top to bottom with those side ankle muscles (I’m sure they have an actual name) being the last to ease up. Of course, they are the most painful bit too! As each part of the muscle eased up and started to loosen up I would thank it and then have a word to the next part to do the same. After 4kms the last muscle finally relaxed enough for the pain to go away. I could still feel the tightness but had no more pain!

It was also bloody hot. Even at 7am it was hot and the sun burned! I have some very interesting tan lines on my back and shoulders now, and was lucky just to have a few burnt spots. They had drink stations every 2.5km which was perfect and each station was always really encouraging. On the way there, and then on the way back the 50km and 30km runners were starting to come back so I got a few smiles and nods and encouraging words which is always so nice.

At around the 6km mark there was a giant set of stairs and a hill (up the stairs – down the hill there, up the hill – down the stairs back) which just seemed like some kind of cruel and unusual joke. I can’t image running over 40km or 20km (for the 50km and 30km runners) and then having to run up that hill and down the stairs. The hardest part was actually getting down the stairs as it’s such a different motion to walking and I have bad balance at the best of times! But, I made it!

The view from the top of the hill to one of the gorgeous beaches I passed.

Bloody stairs!

Half way! woohoo!

At around the 4km to go mark my back and feet started to hurt, I could feel a blister on my toe forming and the arch of my bad foot was aching with every step. I really slowed down and all I kept thinking was that each step was getting my closer to the finish line and closer to being able to sit down. Finally, I rounded the bend and saw the finish banner!

I was happy with my time too as I wanted to beat 3 hours, and beat the time I did the last time I completed 15kms which was in February this year. I achieved both!

Finish time! And I wasn't last :)

The finish line!

A few others firsts – my first ice bath! So cold, yet so refreshing! The hardest thing about the event was walking past all the beautiful beaches and not being able to go jump in! But after the ice bath and some recovery time I ran straight into the ocean for a quick dip!

Into the ice bath! Super icy!

Into the ocean!

After doing all of that on 4 hours sleep (I’m an 8-9hours per night sleep kind of girl) I was exhausted. I tried to stay awake that afternoon but at around 3pm was nodding off on the couch so went off for a nap for a few hours. And I still managed to go to bed early and sleep right through the night.